Matthew BaileyOver the years, there have been many versions of tabletop golf, and I have reviewed some of them here. Unfortunately, none have really captured the feeling I was hoping for. Luckily, the wait is finally over, and I am pleased to say that today’s game is really something quite wonderful.
Game 23# of the “Now & Then Summer Marathon 2024” is “Fingagolf” played with Jack(9) and Toby(6)
Before I really start talking about “Fingagolf” in earnest, it’s worth noting that the game I’m playing here is a prototype. Therefore, things may change between now and launch, especially when it comes to the rules. As far as I know, most of the components we used were very indicative of the final product, apart from the left-handed clubs we played with, which were of a very high-quality 3D print. However, I don’t think this affected their use in any way.
The general concept of “Fingagolf” plays exactly like real golf. You play nine holes or fewer, striking a ball with a club attached to your finger and aiming to reach the hole in as few strokes as possible.
Where this game really shines is in the fact that as you play, each player takes turns designing each hole. While there are obstacles that you can purchase with the game itself, what really makes this stand out is using random things you find in the toy box, as you can see here.
The clubs themselves are made of good quality plastic and come with a seven iron, pitching wedge, and putter, which can be used once on the green. Based on the prototype I played with, the plastic is of good quality and comfortable to use. I’m also really pleased that they have thought to produce left-handed clubs, which was an absolute godsend to Toby, as he is left-handed and would have really struggled and felt left out had that not been an option.
The balls are made of polystyrene, which at first seems like they could be quite flimsy, but they work perfectly in terms of getting the right hit feel and roll feel. If the balls were made using a harder material or a ping pong ball, they would fly very directly and almost always bounce off the edge of the green. As it is, because they use these slightly lighter weight polystyrene balls, when you hit one, it flies with a slight floatingness that gives you a bit more control. Equally, when it lands, it doesn’t move too much and instead gives a much better analogue of golf compared to anything I have played before.
It takes a few tries to get used to it and get the feel of how the ball flows when you hit it, but to be honest, you actually pick it up surprisingly quickly. It feels really natural to play, and it really does feel like you are playing golf on a small scale.
The mats themselves are a really high-quality memory foam with an absolutely luscious finish that is an absolute joy to use and really adds to the overall quality of the product. These mats are so nice, in fact, that while I was making lunch, I came back to find Toby lying down on the mat on the floor, as in his words, they were more comfortable than the sofa.
We have played through a couple of matches with increasingly complex levels of hole design, and every single time they were super compelling.
I expected to like this when I first saw the concept, but when we actually started playing it, I realized this truly is something special and one of the coolest dexterity games I have probably ever played. It feels so good to play, and the weight of the clubs, the way the ball flies, and the general feeling of the way it rolls on the mats is something that really has to be experienced to understand just how well this has been designed.
In case you haven’t realized by now, I absolutely love “Fingagolf” and can definitely see this being a continual hit in our house. It’s a massive shame that I am going to have to give this back, but I fully intend to purchase my own personal copy. I’ll be without it for a considerable period, which is a real shame. This is the sort of thing that someone who likes actual golf will also really like. I definitely want to get my golf-loving father to try it. Equally, this is the sort of thing you could give a golf-loving relative, and it massively surpasses any other golf-type tabletop games that I have ever played.
Now, coming back to reality for a second, I must say that the only slight negative is that “Fingagolf” is not cheap. Let me reiterate that I believe the cost is well worth the quality, and having spoken to the designer at length about the pricing structure, I am confident that they are very well priced from a value proposition. However, if you are going to back this on Kickstarter, there are a few things to be aware of.
The game comes in two basic tiers. The Driving Range pledge at £27 comes with the clubs of an orientation of your choice, a set of balls, and a hole that can be put on the carpet. This means you don’t have to use the greens and can just use the carpet in your own house. While this is a perfectly acceptable way to play and can be used for some fun holes, the greens themselves really do make the game, and I can’t imagine playing without them.
Next, the Player’s Pledge gives you the same as the previous pledge but also includes the teeing play mat and the green with the hole play mat, which costs £54. This is a much better tier to go for but still does not include a few key things. If you want the Fairway mat, which is the larger one you can see in my pictures, that’s going to cost you an extra £27, with the scenery being worth £20 and an extra set of balls being £4. While the Fairway mat is not necessary, I would say it’s integral to the way the game plays and feels. While I have tried to play it on carpet, it just doesn’t work the same, both in terms of the feel of the game and the feeling of hitting the ball.
This means you will need to spend over £100 to get everything, and while I genuinely believe this is a good value proposition for what you are getting in terms of the game itself and the quality of components, I would have liked to see an all-in tier offering everything at a slight discount. Equally, if like myself you require a set of left-handed clubs and also want to have a set of right-handed clubs for everyone else, it means you’re going to have to buy two lots of the Driving Range pledge. I spoke to Glen, who produces the game, and asked why there was not the option to just purchase the left-handed pitching wedge and seven iron separately. He explained that these are the bulk of the cost of the Driving Range pledge and therefore would not be much cheaper than the Driving Range pledge itself due to the tooling costs of the left-handed clubs, especially with them being statistically 1/10th as popular. This is perfectly reasonable and I have no issue at all but it does sting a little bit having to pay again just so 1 of my children isn’t left out.
It’s really hard in a written review to get across how much I enjoyed playing “Fingagolf,” how good the quality of the components are, and how much joy I can see myself having at family gatherings with this. (I am secretly hoping I can keep hold of the prototype for at least a week or so more so that I can let my dad, who is a lifelong golf fan, have a go).
The game has just been made available on Kickstarter (link in comments), and I would definitely recommend you at least go and have a look at the page to see if it’s something you might be interested in. One big benefit for a relatively small production like this is that it does have a pledge manager, so you can back it even if you’ve overspent during the summer holidays but think this might be an amazing thing to get for delivery at the start of 2025.
A rare example of a concept produced amazingly well that actually works to the level intended. Outstanding stuff.
Disclaimer: A copy of “Fingagolf” was kindly provided by “HamnaShida Games” for the purpose of this review. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own, and the retail price has been taken into account when making my recommendation.
